Problems deepen for Barnsley FC's League One rivals as EFL get personal with crisis club's owner

The Royals were relegated from the Championship last season after a six-point deduction for failing to stick to a business plan agreed with the League. That put them below Cardiff City in the final standings.

This term they have already twice been deducted points – initially just one, but a further three-point suspended punishment activated when Dai failed to comply with an independent disciplinary commission's order to deposit an amount equal to 125 per cent of the club’s forecast monthly wage bill into a designated account by September 12 to ensure wages would be paid on time.

Now the Football League have made it personal, charging the owner himself over the matter.

"The League considers these further proceedings against him personally are necessary given the repeated failings in meeting the club’s funding requirements which have only a detrimental impact on the club and its wider stakeholders," said a statement.

Given the chaos around the club and the deductions, there seems little prospect of the former Premier League club being involved in the League One promotion race Barnsley will hope to be involved in. A relegation looks far more likely.